Laura Harrington to adapt fantasy-adventure

Project is being produced by Gold Circle’s Paul Brooks, with Scott Niemeyer exec producing. Brad Kessell is overseeing for the banner.

The novel, published in the U.K. by Scholastic Books, recounts the tale of three disparate middle school students who are confronted by the truth of their bloodlines and their prophesied role as humanity’s only defense against an alien occupation force. They must figure out who in their dreary English village is an alien foe and who may be a secret ally in their fight to save the world.

The Harrington-scripted “Mermaid” is in pre-production with Bill Mechanic producing, and she recently adapted the graphic novel “In the Small” for Akiva Goldsman to produce at Warner Bros., with Francis Lawrence attached to direct. Her script “Dot War” is in development at Paramount for Catherine Hardwicke.

Harrington also wrote a draft adapting “A Very Private Gentleman,” which was produced as “The American,” starring George Clooney.